Africans have been waiting for decades for the mains electricity which the rich world takes for granted. Sub-Saharan Africa’s 910m people consume less electricity each year than the 4.8m people of Alabama. Many more who are on the grid suffer brown-outs and dangerous surges in current. But a solar revolution is afoot.
In 2009 just 1% of sub-Saharan Africans used solar lighting. Now it is nearly 5% or 11m people. The InternationalEnergyAgency, a Paris-based government think-tank, reckons that 500m more people will have solar electricity by 2030,
Why is solar power spreading so fast in Africa? There are three main reasons.
First, solar panel technology has improved. Efficiency gains and mass production mean that modern photovoltaic panels have plunged in price per watt – to around 30 cents.
Second, low-energy bulbs have got better and cheaper. Modern solar lamps cost as little as $8—they charge by day and give light by night. They replace costly and dangerous alternatives - Africans waste $10 billion a year on kerosene. Even worse are candles, open fires—or darkness, which hurts productivity and encourages crime.
The third, crucial development is in storage, as lamps are needed at night and solar power is collected in the daytime. Old nickel cadmium batteries wore out after 500 recharges; lithium-based ones can manage 2,000 and store much more electricity
Additionally, solar power is increasingly well-financed in Africa. Aid donors are sponsoring more ambitious projects – specially designed fridges and televisions, for example. Bigger solar systems can run a school or clinic, a grain mill or irrigation pump, or even a whole village.
Some dismiss solar as a second-best solution. But conventional, centralised electrical grids have proved unreliable and inefficient in the past -- and solar is much better than nothing.

Africa's population explosion presents humanity us with a once-in-our-species chance to make our fastest growing area leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past to instead embrace the renewable energy of the future.
Subscribe to TDC:
https://www.youtube.com/TheDailyConversation/
Video based on this article in Nature:
http://www.nature.com/news/can-wind-and-solar-fuel-africa-s-future-1.20907
Video by Bryce Plank and Robin WestMusic:
"Disturbances" by Matt Stewart-Evans:
https://soundcloud.com/mattstewartevans
https://www.facebook.com/Matthew.Stewart.Evans
"Ambitions" by Glimpse:
https://soundcloud.com/glimpse_official
Script:
The total population of Africa is projected to roughly quadruple to about four billion by 2100, driving the total global population past 11 billion. Producing all the energy that all these people will use could obliterate any efforts we’re now making to battle climate change. But Africa’s population explosion is also a tremendous opportunity, because all the power plants where all these people will get all their electricity from haven’t been built yet.
This means humanity is now being presented with a once-in-the-lifetime-of-our-species shot to make our planet's fastest growing region leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past, to embrace a future of clean, renewable energy.
This is how that optimistic vision of the future can become reality.
The residents of Zambia don’t need any reminders that climate change threatens their way of life. The region is suffering its worst drought in 35 years, that’s big trouble for a country that gets nearly all of its power from the force of water passing through three hydroelectric dams. No water means no electricity, and no electricity means blackouts that have frequently brought commerce and productivity to a standstill, gutting the Zambian economy and causing many to lose their jobs.
All across Africa, country are confronting the same problem: a constant lack-of-power. Sub Saharan Africa — all 910 million people — consume less electricity than the 4.8 million people of Alabama. Overall, more than half of all Africans have no access to electricity.
But this is changing, thanks to the emergence of renewable energy. The cost of building larger-scale solar panel and wind turbine farms continues to plummet, making governments and utilities more likely to choose them over traditional sources like hydro, coal, nuclear or natural gas. As we saw with the water shortage in Zambia — or the nuclear meltdown a few years ago after the earthquake in Japan — power stations of the past are less reliable, more expensive, far worse for our environment, and slower to build.
So this seems like a no-brainer, Africa needs to go green, baby! There’re just three problems.
One, until now planners have lacked the necessary data to identify where to develop wind and solar projects that are socially equitable, have low-environmental impact, and are most cost-effective. This problem was recently tackled by a groundbreaking study of 21 countries that combined satellite and ground measurements with geospatial data on roads, towns, and existing power lines. It provides the first blueprint for where wind and solar projects should be built to maximize their effectiveness.
The study also revealed Africa’s eye-opening, untapped potential for renewable energy generation. There are an estimated 550 million megawatts of potential solar and wind power spread across the continent, just waiting to be harvested. That’s 3,700 times as much electricity as Africa currently consumes.
That’s so much extra energy, that Africa should aim to be powered 100% by renewables by 2050. It’s even possible for Africa to become a clean energy exporting superpower by sending its abundant surpluses of electricity to Europe; the Middle East, India and the rest of Asia; and even the Americas.
Of course, this is dependent on overcoming the second major challenge: the continent’s completely inadequate power grid. Modernizing it to connect clean power stations with cities all over Africa will be a long-term megaproject costing tens of billions of dollars in the coming decades.
For fast-growing urban areas — like Lagos, Cairo, Kinshasa, Mogadishu, and Johannesburg — uninterrupted electricity is critical for the emerging industries that will fuel economic growth and provide jobs for billions.
On the other hand, most Africans currently live in small villages and towns, so their energy needs can be met by inexpensive solar and wind turbine systems that are located on-site, but are disconnected from the main grid.
The challenge will be connecting cities — where more and more people are moving — with the mega-power stations that will often be built far away, in geographical sweet spots to maximize the amount of harvestable solar rays and wind gusts.

The Maasai are a semi-nomadic pastoral ethnic group spread across Kenya and Tanzania. They live in some of the most arid lands in the region, where modern utilities like Electricity are unheard off. Life almost comes to a a standstill once the sun goes down as there is no power. But a new project spear headed by Green EnergyAfrica has brought solar energy to 2,000 homes. CCTV's Susan Mwongeli reports.

published:27 Jun 2015

views:8222

The British Government has launched a new campaign to help achieve universal energy access across Africa by 2030. Part of the initiative involves removing some of the barriers to installing small, self-contained solar energy kits into homes and businesses, which are operated on a pay-as-you-go system.Our UK Correspondent Natalie Powell reports.

published:18 Nov 2015

views:5478

Nedbank was given the opportunity to provide funding for the renewable energy installation at Mall of Africa. On this episode, we show how this sustainable energy solution gives value to stakeholders.

published:20 Apr 2017

views:1938

Power cuts are exceedingly common in Nigeria. The situation is even worse in rural communities which aren't even connected to the grid. To date, successive governments have failed to resolve the problem, despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. Amidst that chaos, lies opportunity for a small start up in the country which is lighting up forgotten rural communities. DejiBadmus has that story.

published:17 Jun 2016

views:3839

Israel is a world leader in Solar energy and shares that technology. Innovation:Africa has provided light, clean water, food and proper medical care to over 450,000 people across Africa.
This is the story of their first project in South Africa - bringing Solar energy to a school in Limpopo.

published:07 Apr 2014

views:901

Scatec Solar has undertaken three solar PV projects in South Africa.
The projects are situated in the semi-arid Karoo region covering South Africa’s central interior, which has among the world’s highest solar irradiance levels. The 75MW Kalkbult plant is based on solar panels mounted at a fixed angle to the sun, and the 75MW Dreunberg and 40MW Linde plants have been constructed with horizontal single axis solar tracker systems, enabling them to track the sun and optimize electricity generation. This allows them to generate about 20% more electricity.

published:31 Mar 2015

views:6054

A team of graduate students from Stellenbosch Universitys SustainabilityInstitute set out to turn a temporary shack into a model of sustainability using solar power, economical insulation and thermal controls. Join project pioneer Andreas Keller and AllAfrica on an exclusive tour of the iShack experiment in South Africas Enkanini settlement.

published:03 Jul 2012

views:4749

By 2018, a large solar power plant in the Tunisian part of the Sahara desert may start sending power to energy-hungry Western Europe. The company running the plant says once it is fully operational it will generate almost twice as much electricity as an average nuclear plant and supply two million homes in Europe. VOA’s George Putic reports.
Originally published at - http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2500169.html

South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution's recognition of 11 official languages, which is among the highest number of any country in the world. Two of these languages are of European origin: Afrikaans developed from Dutch and serves as the first language of most white and coloured South Africans; English reflects the legacy of British colonialism, and is commonly used in public and commercial life, though it is fourth-ranked as a spoken first language.

The large magnitude of solar energy available makes it a highly appealing source of electricity. The United Nations Development Programme in its 2000 World Energy Assessment found that the annual potential of solar energy was 1,575–49,837 exajoules (EJ). This is several times larger than the total world energy consumption, which was 559.8EJ in 2012.

The International Energy Agency projected in 2014 that under its "high renewables" scenario, by 2050, solar photovoltaics and concentrated solar power would contribute about 16 and 11 percent, respectively, of the worldwide electricity consumption, and solar would be the world's largest source of electricity. Most solar installations would be in China and India.

Photovoltaics were initially solely used as a source of electricity for small and medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by a single solar cell to remote homes powered by an off-grid rooftop PV system. As the cost of solar electricity has fallen, the number of grid-connected solar PV systems has grown into the millions and utility-scale solar power stations with hundreds of megawatts are being built. Solar PV is rapidly becoming an inexpensive, low-carbon technology to harness renewable energy from the Sun.

Why solar power is spreading so fast in Africa

Africans have been waiting for decades for the mains electricity which the rich world takes for granted. Sub-Saharan Africa’s 910m people consume less electricity each year than the 4.8m people of Alabama. Many more who are on the grid suffer brown-outs and dangerous surges in current. But a solar revolution is afoot.
In 2009 just 1% of sub-Saharan Africans used solar lighting. Now it is nearly 5% or 11m people. The InternationalEnergyAgency, a Paris-based government think-tank, reckons that 500m more people will have solar electricity by 2030,
Why is solar power spreading so fast in Africa? There are three main reasons.
First, solar panel technology has improved. Efficiency gains and mass production mean that modern photovoltaic panels have plunged in price per watt – to around 30 cents.
Second, low-energy bulbs have got better and cheaper. Modern solar lamps cost as little as $8—they charge by day and give light by night. They replace costly and dangerous alternatives - Africans waste $10 billion a year on kerosene. Even worse are candles, open fires—or darkness, which hurts productivity and encourages crime.
The third, crucial development is in storage, as lamps are needed at night and solar power is collected in the daytime. Old nickel cadmium batteries wore out after 500 recharges; lithium-based ones can manage 2,000 and store much more electricity
Additionally, solar power is increasingly well-financed in Africa. Aid donors are sponsoring more ambitious projects – specially designed fridges and televisions, for example. Bigger solar systems can run a school or clinic, a grain mill or irrigation pump, or even a whole village.
Some dismiss solar as a second-best solution. But conventional, centralised electrical grids have proved unreliable and inefficient in the past -- and solar is much better than nothing.

Africa's Clean ENERGY REVOLUTION: Future MEGAPROJECTS

Africa's population explosion presents humanity us with a once-in-our-species chance to make our fastest growing area leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past to instead embrace the renewable energy of the future.
Subscribe to TDC:
https://www.youtube.com/TheDailyConversation/
Video based on this article in Nature:
http://www.nature.com/news/can-wind-and-solar-fuel-africa-s-future-1.20907
Video by Bryce Plank and Robin WestMusic:
"Disturbances" by Matt Stewart-Evans:
https://soundcloud.com/mattstewartevans
https://www.facebook.com/Matthew.Stewart.Evans
"Ambitions" by Glimpse:
https://soundcloud.com/glimpse_official
Script:
The total population of Africa is projected to roughly quadruple to about four billion by 2100, driving the total global population past 11 billion. Producing all the energy that all these people will use could obliterate any efforts we’re now making to battle climate change. But Africa’s population explosion is also a tremendous opportunity, because all the power plants where all these people will get all their electricity from haven’t been built yet.
This means humanity is now being presented with a once-in-the-lifetime-of-our-species shot to make our planet's fastest growing region leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past, to embrace a future of clean, renewable energy.
This is how that optimistic vision of the future can become reality.
The residents of Zambia don’t need any reminders that climate change threatens their way of life. The region is suffering its worst drought in 35 years, that’s big trouble for a country that gets nearly all of its power from the force of water passing through three hydroelectric dams. No water means no electricity, and no electricity means blackouts that have frequently brought commerce and productivity to a standstill, gutting the Zambian economy and causing many to lose their jobs.
All across Africa, country are confronting the same problem: a constant lack-of-power. Sub Saharan Africa — all 910 million people — consume less electricity than the 4.8 million people of Alabama. Overall, more than half of all Africans have no access to electricity.
But this is changing, thanks to the emergence of renewable energy. The cost of building larger-scale solar panel and wind turbine farms continues to plummet, making governments and utilities more likely to choose them over traditional sources like hydro, coal, nuclear or natural gas. As we saw with the water shortage in Zambia — or the nuclear meltdown a few years ago after the earthquake in Japan — power stations of the past are less reliable, more expensive, far worse for our environment, and slower to build.
So this seems like a no-brainer, Africa needs to go green, baby! There’re just three problems.
One, until now planners have lacked the necessary data to identify where to develop wind and solar projects that are socially equitable, have low-environmental impact, and are most cost-effective. This problem was recently tackled by a groundbreaking study of 21 countries that combined satellite and ground measurements with geospatial data on roads, towns, and existing power lines. It provides the first blueprint for where wind and solar projects should be built to maximize their effectiveness.
The study also revealed Africa’s eye-opening, untapped potential for renewable energy generation. There are an estimated 550 million megawatts of potential solar and wind power spread across the continent, just waiting to be harvested. That’s 3,700 times as much electricity as Africa currently consumes.
That’s so much extra energy, that Africa should aim to be powered 100% by renewables by 2050. It’s even possible for Africa to become a clean energy exporting superpower by sending its abundant surpluses of electricity to Europe; the Middle East, India and the rest of Asia; and even the Americas.
Of course, this is dependent on overcoming the second major challenge: the continent’s completely inadequate power grid. Modernizing it to connect clean power stations with cities all over Africa will be a long-term megaproject costing tens of billions of dollars in the coming decades.
For fast-growing urban areas — like Lagos, Cairo, Kinshasa, Mogadishu, and Johannesburg — uninterrupted electricity is critical for the emerging industries that will fuel economic growth and provide jobs for billions.
On the other hand, most Africans currently live in small villages and towns, so their energy needs can be met by inexpensive solar and wind turbine systems that are located on-site, but are disconnected from the main grid.
The challenge will be connecting cities — where more and more people are moving — with the mega-power stations that will often be built far away, in geographical sweet spots to maximize the amount of harvestable solar rays and wind gusts.

Maasai Women Installing Solar Panels in Remote Regions of Kenya

The Maasai are a semi-nomadic pastoral ethnic group spread across Kenya and Tanzania. They live in some of the most arid lands in the region, where modern utilities like Electricity are unheard off. Life almost comes to a a standstill once the sun goes down as there is no power. But a new project spear headed by Green EnergyAfrica has brought solar energy to 2,000 homes. CCTV's Susan Mwongeli reports.

2:29

Solar energy for Africa by 2030

Solar energy for Africa by 2030

Solar energy for Africa by 2030

The British Government has launched a new campaign to help achieve universal energy access across Africa by 2030. Part of the initiative involves removing some of the barriers to installing small, self-contained solar energy kits into homes and businesses, which are operated on a pay-as-you-go system.Our UK Correspondent Natalie Powell reports.

23:02

Powering Africa: Mall of Africa's solar energy installation

Powering Africa: Mall of Africa's solar energy installation

Powering Africa: Mall of Africa's solar energy installation

Nedbank was given the opportunity to provide funding for the renewable energy installation at Mall of Africa. On this episode, we show how this sustainable energy solution gives value to stakeholders.

3:38

Start up in Nigeria deploys solar energy to rural communities

Start up in Nigeria deploys solar energy to rural communities

Start up in Nigeria deploys solar energy to rural communities

Power cuts are exceedingly common in Nigeria. The situation is even worse in rural communities which aren't even connected to the grid. To date, successive governments have failed to resolve the problem, despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. Amidst that chaos, lies opportunity for a small start up in the country which is lighting up forgotten rural communities. DejiBadmus has that story.

3:06

Israel and Innovation: Africa brings solar energy to Limpopo

Israel and Innovation: Africa brings solar energy to Limpopo

Israel and Innovation: Africa brings solar energy to Limpopo

Israel is a world leader in Solar energy and shares that technology. Innovation:Africa has provided light, clean water, food and proper medical care to over 450,000 people across Africa.
This is the story of their first project in South Africa - bringing Solar energy to a school in Limpopo.

4:10

Scatec Solar Projects in South Africa

Scatec Solar Projects in South Africa

Scatec Solar Projects in South Africa

Scatec Solar has undertaken three solar PV projects in South Africa.
The projects are situated in the semi-arid Karoo region covering South Africa’s central interior, which has among the world’s highest solar irradiance levels. The 75MW Kalkbult plant is based on solar panels mounted at a fixed angle to the sun, and the 75MW Dreunberg and 40MW Linde plants have been constructed with horizontal single axis solar tracker systems, enabling them to track the sun and optimize electricity generation. This allows them to generate about 20% more electricity.

2:47

South Africa's Solar-Powered Shacks

South Africa's Solar-Powered Shacks

South Africa's Solar-Powered Shacks

A team of graduate students from Stellenbosch Universitys SustainabilityInstitute set out to turn a temporary shack into a model of sustainability using solar power, economical insulation and thermal controls. Join project pioneer Andreas Keller and AllAfrica on an exclusive tour of the iShack experiment in South Africas Enkanini settlement.

2:37

Solar Power Plant in Africa to Supply Europe

Solar Power Plant in Africa to Supply Europe

Solar Power Plant in Africa to Supply Europe

By 2018, a large solar power plant in the Tunisian part of the Sahara desert may start sending power to energy-hungry Western Europe. The company running the plant says once it is fully operational it will generate almost twice as much electricity as an average nuclear plant and supply two million homes in Europe. VOA’s George Putic reports.
Originally published at - http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2500169.html

7:20

Africa Solar Cooking

Africa Solar Cooking

Africa Solar Cooking

3:47

Solar Cookers in Africa - SUNFIRE SOLUTIONS

Solar Cookers in Africa - SUNFIRE SOLUTIONS

Solar Cookers in Africa - SUNFIRE SOLUTIONS

Creating a sustainable future for the people of Africa, Johannesburg-based Sunfire Solutions is the leader distributer of Solar Cookers in Africa. Get in on the solar revolution! Solar cookers reduce people's reliance on wood as an energy source. Africa's forests are disappearing at a rate of 3% per year, mostly for energy use, and Sunfire Solutions offers one of the only alternatives on the continent. http://www.sunfire.co.za
Produced By Jeffrey Barbee, see more at www.jeffbarbee.com or jefftube4view, his Youtube channel.

South Africa Solar Technology: Powered School Bags Lighting Homes

A school bag made from recycled plastic is helping students from impoverished communities in South Africa study at night. As ClementineLogan reports, these bags are integrated with photovoltaic panels and batteries. They charge up during the day, and light up homes at night.

A Review of the Africa Solar Market

Panelists in this webinar provide an overview of the solar market in Africa. On the grid side, they focus on electricity production and the share of solar generation, grid PV installed capacities, main operational plants, grid PV forecasts and market challenges and opportunities. On the off-grid side, they analyze population and electrification issues, installed capacities by region, the Macro-economic Off-Grid (MOG) model, and Africa’s country rating and forecast to 2020 of cumulative installed capacities by country.

Solar Cooking in Africa - A Remarkable Technology Transfer

This video shows the remarkable technology transfer that is taking place in Africa as thousands of people are introduced to solar cooking technology, which allows them to cook food and boil water using Africa's most abundant and free source of energy--the sun. I hope you will share this and other videos on my solarwindmama channel with your family and friends.

Eco@Africa: Use Of Solar Power In Tanzania

Mali: Boosting education with solar energy | Africa on the Move

The WestAfrican countryMali does not produce enough power to supply the entire population. The country is forced to import electricity from neighboring countries like Ivory Coast. Solar power could be only Mali's holy grail. That's why one young engineer is determined to ensure the project succeeds, especially in remote rural villages.

Why solar power is spreading so fast in Africa

Africans have been waiting for decades for the mains electricity which the rich world takes for granted. Sub-Saharan Africa’s 910m people consume less electricity each year than the 4.8m people of Alabama. Many more who are on the grid suffer brown-outs and dangerous surges in current. But a solar revolution is afoot.
In 2009 just 1% of sub-Saharan Africans used solar lighting. Now it is nearly 5% or 11m people. The InternationalEnergyAgency, a Paris-based government think-tank, reckons that 500m more people will have solar electricity by 2030,
Why is solar power spreading so fast in Africa? There are three main reasons.
First, solar panel technology has improved. Efficiency gains and mass production mean that modern photovoltaic panels have plunged in price per watt – to around 30 ...

Africa's Clean ENERGY REVOLUTION: Future MEGAPROJECTS

Africa's population explosion presents humanity us with a once-in-our-species chance to make our fastest growing area leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past to instead embrace the renewable energy of the future.
Subscribe to TDC:
https://www.youtube.com/TheDailyConversation/
Video based on this article in Nature:
http://www.nature.com/news/can-wind-and-solar-fuel-africa-s-future-1.20907
Video by Bryce Plank and Robin WestMusic:
"Disturbances" by Matt Stewart-Evans:
https://soundcloud.com/mattstewartevans
https://www.facebook.com/Matthew.Stewart.Evans
"Ambitions" by Glimpse:
https://soundcloud.com/glimpse_official
Script:
The total population of Africa is projected to roughly quadruple to about four billion by 2100, driving the total global population past 11 billion. Producing all the e...

published: 04 Apr 2017

Akon Providing Solar Lighting in Africa for 600m People

Maasai Women Installing Solar Panels in Remote Regions of Kenya

The Maasai are a semi-nomadic pastoral ethnic group spread across Kenya and Tanzania. They live in some of the most arid lands in the region, where modern utilities like Electricity are unheard off. Life almost comes to a a standstill once the sun goes down as there is no power. But a new project spear headed by Green EnergyAfrica has brought solar energy to 2,000 homes. CCTV's Susan Mwongeli reports.

published: 27 Jun 2015

Solar energy for Africa by 2030

The British Government has launched a new campaign to help achieve universal energy access across Africa by 2030. Part of the initiative involves removing some of the barriers to installing small, self-contained solar energy kits into homes and businesses, which are operated on a pay-as-you-go system.Our UK Correspondent Natalie Powell reports.

published: 18 Nov 2015

Powering Africa: Mall of Africa's solar energy installation

Nedbank was given the opportunity to provide funding for the renewable energy installation at Mall of Africa. On this episode, we show how this sustainable energy solution gives value to stakeholders.

published: 20 Apr 2017

Start up in Nigeria deploys solar energy to rural communities

Power cuts are exceedingly common in Nigeria. The situation is even worse in rural communities which aren't even connected to the grid. To date, successive governments have failed to resolve the problem, despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. Amidst that chaos, lies opportunity for a small start up in the country which is lighting up forgotten rural communities. DejiBadmus has that story.

published: 17 Jun 2016

Israel and Innovation: Africa brings solar energy to Limpopo

Israel is a world leader in Solar energy and shares that technology. Innovation:Africa has provided light, clean water, food and proper medical care to over 450,000 people across Africa.
This is the story of their first project in South Africa - bringing Solar energy to a school in Limpopo.

published: 07 Apr 2014

Scatec Solar Projects in South Africa

Scatec Solar has undertaken three solar PV projects in South Africa.
The projects are situated in the semi-arid Karoo region covering South Africa’s central interior, which has among the world’s highest solar irradiance levels. The 75MW Kalkbult plant is based on solar panels mounted at a fixed angle to the sun, and the 75MW Dreunberg and 40MW Linde plants have been constructed with horizontal single axis solar tracker systems, enabling them to track the sun and optimize electricity generation. This allows them to generate about 20% more electricity.

published: 31 Mar 2015

South Africa's Solar-Powered Shacks

A team of graduate students from Stellenbosch Universitys SustainabilityInstitute set out to turn a temporary shack into a model of sustainability using solar power, economical insulation and thermal controls. Join project pioneer Andreas Keller and AllAfrica on an exclusive tour of the iShack experiment in South Africas Enkanini settlement.

published: 03 Jul 2012

Solar Power Plant in Africa to Supply Europe

By 2018, a large solar power plant in the Tunisian part of the Sahara desert may start sending power to energy-hungry Western Europe. The company running the plant says once it is fully operational it will generate almost twice as much electricity as an average nuclear plant and supply two million homes in Europe. VOA’s George Putic reports.
Originally published at - http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2500169.html

published: 29 Oct 2014

Africa Solar Cooking

published: 18 Jun 2009

Solar Cookers in Africa - SUNFIRE SOLUTIONS

Creating a sustainable future for the people of Africa, Johannesburg-based Sunfire Solutions is the leader distributer of Solar Cookers in Africa. Get in on the solar revolution! Solar cookers reduce people's reliance on wood as an energy source. Africa's forests are disappearing at a rate of 3% per year, mostly for energy use, and Sunfire Solutions offers one of the only alternatives on the continent. http://www.sunfire.co.za
Produced By Jeffrey Barbee, see more at www.jeffbarbee.com or jefftube4view, his Youtube channel.

published: 07 Sep 2010

Africa solar initiative vacuum solar cooker

South Africa Solar Technology: Powered School Bags Lighting Homes

A school bag made from recycled plastic is helping students from impoverished communities in South Africa study at night. As ClementineLogan reports, these bags are integrated with photovoltaic panels and batteries. They charge up during the day, and light up homes at night.

A Review of the Africa Solar Market

Panelists in this webinar provide an overview of the solar market in Africa. On the grid side, they focus on electricity production and the share of solar generation, grid PV installed capacities, main operational plants, grid PV forecasts and market challenges and opportunities. On the off-grid side, they analyze population and electrification issues, installed capacities by region, the Macro-economic Off-Grid (MOG) model, and Africa’s country rating and forecast to 2020 of cumulative installed capacities by country.

Solar Cooking in Africa - A Remarkable Technology Transfer

This video shows the remarkable technology transfer that is taking place in Africa as thousands of people are introduced to solar cooking technology, which allows them to cook food and boil water using Africa's most abundant and free source of energy--the sun. I hope you will share this and other videos on my solarwindmama channel with your family and friends.

published: 29 Jul 2010

Eco@Africa: Use Of Solar Power In Tanzania

Mali: Boosting education with solar energy | Africa on the Move

The WestAfrican countryMali does not produce enough power to supply the entire population. The country is forced to import electricity from neighboring countries like Ivory Coast. Solar power could be only Mali's holy grail. That's why one young engineer is determined to ensure the project succeeds, especially in remote rural villages.

Why solar power is spreading so fast in Africa

Africans have been waiting for decades for the mains electricity which the rich world takes for granted. Sub-Saharan Africa’s 910m people consume less electrici...

Africans have been waiting for decades for the mains electricity which the rich world takes for granted. Sub-Saharan Africa’s 910m people consume less electricity each year than the 4.8m people of Alabama. Many more who are on the grid suffer brown-outs and dangerous surges in current. But a solar revolution is afoot.
In 2009 just 1% of sub-Saharan Africans used solar lighting. Now it is nearly 5% or 11m people. The InternationalEnergyAgency, a Paris-based government think-tank, reckons that 500m more people will have solar electricity by 2030,
Why is solar power spreading so fast in Africa? There are three main reasons.
First, solar panel technology has improved. Efficiency gains and mass production mean that modern photovoltaic panels have plunged in price per watt – to around 30 cents.
Second, low-energy bulbs have got better and cheaper. Modern solar lamps cost as little as $8—they charge by day and give light by night. They replace costly and dangerous alternatives - Africans waste $10 billion a year on kerosene. Even worse are candles, open fires—or darkness, which hurts productivity and encourages crime.
The third, crucial development is in storage, as lamps are needed at night and solar power is collected in the daytime. Old nickel cadmium batteries wore out after 500 recharges; lithium-based ones can manage 2,000 and store much more electricity
Additionally, solar power is increasingly well-financed in Africa. Aid donors are sponsoring more ambitious projects – specially designed fridges and televisions, for example. Bigger solar systems can run a school or clinic, a grain mill or irrigation pump, or even a whole village.
Some dismiss solar as a second-best solution. But conventional, centralised electrical grids have proved unreliable and inefficient in the past -- and solar is much better than nothing.

Africans have been waiting for decades for the mains electricity which the rich world takes for granted. Sub-Saharan Africa’s 910m people consume less electricity each year than the 4.8m people of Alabama. Many more who are on the grid suffer brown-outs and dangerous surges in current. But a solar revolution is afoot.
In 2009 just 1% of sub-Saharan Africans used solar lighting. Now it is nearly 5% or 11m people. The InternationalEnergyAgency, a Paris-based government think-tank, reckons that 500m more people will have solar electricity by 2030,
Why is solar power spreading so fast in Africa? There are three main reasons.
First, solar panel technology has improved. Efficiency gains and mass production mean that modern photovoltaic panels have plunged in price per watt – to around 30 cents.
Second, low-energy bulbs have got better and cheaper. Modern solar lamps cost as little as $8—they charge by day and give light by night. They replace costly and dangerous alternatives - Africans waste $10 billion a year on kerosene. Even worse are candles, open fires—or darkness, which hurts productivity and encourages crime.
The third, crucial development is in storage, as lamps are needed at night and solar power is collected in the daytime. Old nickel cadmium batteries wore out after 500 recharges; lithium-based ones can manage 2,000 and store much more electricity
Additionally, solar power is increasingly well-financed in Africa. Aid donors are sponsoring more ambitious projects – specially designed fridges and televisions, for example. Bigger solar systems can run a school or clinic, a grain mill or irrigation pump, or even a whole village.
Some dismiss solar as a second-best solution. But conventional, centralised electrical grids have proved unreliable and inefficient in the past -- and solar is much better than nothing.

Africa's Clean ENERGY REVOLUTION: Future MEGAPROJECTS

Africa's population explosion presents humanity us with a once-in-our-species chance to make our fastest growing area leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past to in...

Africa's population explosion presents humanity us with a once-in-our-species chance to make our fastest growing area leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past to instead embrace the renewable energy of the future.
Subscribe to TDC:
https://www.youtube.com/TheDailyConversation/
Video based on this article in Nature:
http://www.nature.com/news/can-wind-and-solar-fuel-africa-s-future-1.20907
Video by Bryce Plank and Robin WestMusic:
"Disturbances" by Matt Stewart-Evans:
https://soundcloud.com/mattstewartevans
https://www.facebook.com/Matthew.Stewart.Evans
"Ambitions" by Glimpse:
https://soundcloud.com/glimpse_official
Script:
The total population of Africa is projected to roughly quadruple to about four billion by 2100, driving the total global population past 11 billion. Producing all the energy that all these people will use could obliterate any efforts we’re now making to battle climate change. But Africa’s population explosion is also a tremendous opportunity, because all the power plants where all these people will get all their electricity from haven’t been built yet.
This means humanity is now being presented with a once-in-the-lifetime-of-our-species shot to make our planet's fastest growing region leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past, to embrace a future of clean, renewable energy.
This is how that optimistic vision of the future can become reality.
The residents of Zambia don’t need any reminders that climate change threatens their way of life. The region is suffering its worst drought in 35 years, that’s big trouble for a country that gets nearly all of its power from the force of water passing through three hydroelectric dams. No water means no electricity, and no electricity means blackouts that have frequently brought commerce and productivity to a standstill, gutting the Zambian economy and causing many to lose their jobs.
All across Africa, country are confronting the same problem: a constant lack-of-power. Sub Saharan Africa — all 910 million people — consume less electricity than the 4.8 million people of Alabama. Overall, more than half of all Africans have no access to electricity.
But this is changing, thanks to the emergence of renewable energy. The cost of building larger-scale solar panel and wind turbine farms continues to plummet, making governments and utilities more likely to choose them over traditional sources like hydro, coal, nuclear or natural gas. As we saw with the water shortage in Zambia — or the nuclear meltdown a few years ago after the earthquake in Japan — power stations of the past are less reliable, more expensive, far worse for our environment, and slower to build.
So this seems like a no-brainer, Africa needs to go green, baby! There’re just three problems.
One, until now planners have lacked the necessary data to identify where to develop wind and solar projects that are socially equitable, have low-environmental impact, and are most cost-effective. This problem was recently tackled by a groundbreaking study of 21 countries that combined satellite and ground measurements with geospatial data on roads, towns, and existing power lines. It provides the first blueprint for where wind and solar projects should be built to maximize their effectiveness.
The study also revealed Africa’s eye-opening, untapped potential for renewable energy generation. There are an estimated 550 million megawatts of potential solar and wind power spread across the continent, just waiting to be harvested. That’s 3,700 times as much electricity as Africa currently consumes.
That’s so much extra energy, that Africa should aim to be powered 100% by renewables by 2050. It’s even possible for Africa to become a clean energy exporting superpower by sending its abundant surpluses of electricity to Europe; the Middle East, India and the rest of Asia; and even the Americas.
Of course, this is dependent on overcoming the second major challenge: the continent’s completely inadequate power grid. Modernizing it to connect clean power stations with cities all over Africa will be a long-term megaproject costing tens of billions of dollars in the coming decades.
For fast-growing urban areas — like Lagos, Cairo, Kinshasa, Mogadishu, and Johannesburg — uninterrupted electricity is critical for the emerging industries that will fuel economic growth and provide jobs for billions.
On the other hand, most Africans currently live in small villages and towns, so their energy needs can be met by inexpensive solar and wind turbine systems that are located on-site, but are disconnected from the main grid.
The challenge will be connecting cities — where more and more people are moving — with the mega-power stations that will often be built far away, in geographical sweet spots to maximize the amount of harvestable solar rays and wind gusts.

Africa's population explosion presents humanity us with a once-in-our-species chance to make our fastest growing area leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past to instead embrace the renewable energy of the future.
Subscribe to TDC:
https://www.youtube.com/TheDailyConversation/
Video based on this article in Nature:
http://www.nature.com/news/can-wind-and-solar-fuel-africa-s-future-1.20907
Video by Bryce Plank and Robin WestMusic:
"Disturbances" by Matt Stewart-Evans:
https://soundcloud.com/mattstewartevans
https://www.facebook.com/Matthew.Stewart.Evans
"Ambitions" by Glimpse:
https://soundcloud.com/glimpse_official
Script:
The total population of Africa is projected to roughly quadruple to about four billion by 2100, driving the total global population past 11 billion. Producing all the energy that all these people will use could obliterate any efforts we’re now making to battle climate change. But Africa’s population explosion is also a tremendous opportunity, because all the power plants where all these people will get all their electricity from haven’t been built yet.
This means humanity is now being presented with a once-in-the-lifetime-of-our-species shot to make our planet's fastest growing region leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past, to embrace a future of clean, renewable energy.
This is how that optimistic vision of the future can become reality.
The residents of Zambia don’t need any reminders that climate change threatens their way of life. The region is suffering its worst drought in 35 years, that’s big trouble for a country that gets nearly all of its power from the force of water passing through three hydroelectric dams. No water means no electricity, and no electricity means blackouts that have frequently brought commerce and productivity to a standstill, gutting the Zambian economy and causing many to lose their jobs.
All across Africa, country are confronting the same problem: a constant lack-of-power. Sub Saharan Africa — all 910 million people — consume less electricity than the 4.8 million people of Alabama. Overall, more than half of all Africans have no access to electricity.
But this is changing, thanks to the emergence of renewable energy. The cost of building larger-scale solar panel and wind turbine farms continues to plummet, making governments and utilities more likely to choose them over traditional sources like hydro, coal, nuclear or natural gas. As we saw with the water shortage in Zambia — or the nuclear meltdown a few years ago after the earthquake in Japan — power stations of the past are less reliable, more expensive, far worse for our environment, and slower to build.
So this seems like a no-brainer, Africa needs to go green, baby! There’re just three problems.
One, until now planners have lacked the necessary data to identify where to develop wind and solar projects that are socially equitable, have low-environmental impact, and are most cost-effective. This problem was recently tackled by a groundbreaking study of 21 countries that combined satellite and ground measurements with geospatial data on roads, towns, and existing power lines. It provides the first blueprint for where wind and solar projects should be built to maximize their effectiveness.
The study also revealed Africa’s eye-opening, untapped potential for renewable energy generation. There are an estimated 550 million megawatts of potential solar and wind power spread across the continent, just waiting to be harvested. That’s 3,700 times as much electricity as Africa currently consumes.
That’s so much extra energy, that Africa should aim to be powered 100% by renewables by 2050. It’s even possible for Africa to become a clean energy exporting superpower by sending its abundant surpluses of electricity to Europe; the Middle East, India and the rest of Asia; and even the Americas.
Of course, this is dependent on overcoming the second major challenge: the continent’s completely inadequate power grid. Modernizing it to connect clean power stations with cities all over Africa will be a long-term megaproject costing tens of billions of dollars in the coming decades.
For fast-growing urban areas — like Lagos, Cairo, Kinshasa, Mogadishu, and Johannesburg — uninterrupted electricity is critical for the emerging industries that will fuel economic growth and provide jobs for billions.
On the other hand, most Africans currently live in small villages and towns, so their energy needs can be met by inexpensive solar and wind turbine systems that are located on-site, but are disconnected from the main grid.
The challenge will be connecting cities — where more and more people are moving — with the mega-power stations that will often be built far away, in geographical sweet spots to maximize the amount of harvestable solar rays and wind gusts.

Maasai Women Installing Solar Panels in Remote Regions of Kenya

The Maasai are a semi-nomadic pastoral ethnic group spread across Kenya and Tanzania. They live in some of the most arid lands in the region, where modern uti...

The Maasai are a semi-nomadic pastoral ethnic group spread across Kenya and Tanzania. They live in some of the most arid lands in the region, where modern utilities like Electricity are unheard off. Life almost comes to a a standstill once the sun goes down as there is no power. But a new project spear headed by Green EnergyAfrica has brought solar energy to 2,000 homes. CCTV's Susan Mwongeli reports.

The Maasai are a semi-nomadic pastoral ethnic group spread across Kenya and Tanzania. They live in some of the most arid lands in the region, where modern utilities like Electricity are unheard off. Life almost comes to a a standstill once the sun goes down as there is no power. But a new project spear headed by Green EnergyAfrica has brought solar energy to 2,000 homes. CCTV's Susan Mwongeli reports.

The British Government has launched a new campaign to help achieve universal energy access across Africa by 2030. Part of the initiative involves removing some of the barriers to installing small, self-contained solar energy kits into homes and businesses, which are operated on a pay-as-you-go system.Our UK Correspondent Natalie Powell reports.

The British Government has launched a new campaign to help achieve universal energy access across Africa by 2030. Part of the initiative involves removing some of the barriers to installing small, self-contained solar energy kits into homes and businesses, which are operated on a pay-as-you-go system.Our UK Correspondent Natalie Powell reports.

Start up in Nigeria deploys solar energy to rural communities

Power cuts are exceedingly common in Nigeria. The situation is even worse in rural communities which aren't even connected to the grid. To date, successive gove...

Power cuts are exceedingly common in Nigeria. The situation is even worse in rural communities which aren't even connected to the grid. To date, successive governments have failed to resolve the problem, despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. Amidst that chaos, lies opportunity for a small start up in the country which is lighting up forgotten rural communities. DejiBadmus has that story.

Power cuts are exceedingly common in Nigeria. The situation is even worse in rural communities which aren't even connected to the grid. To date, successive governments have failed to resolve the problem, despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. Amidst that chaos, lies opportunity for a small start up in the country which is lighting up forgotten rural communities. DejiBadmus has that story.

Israel is a world leader in Solar energy and shares that technology. Innovation:Africa has provided light, clean water, food and proper medical care to over 450,000 people across Africa.
This is the story of their first project in South Africa - bringing Solar energy to a school in Limpopo.

Israel is a world leader in Solar energy and shares that technology. Innovation:Africa has provided light, clean water, food and proper medical care to over 450,000 people across Africa.
This is the story of their first project in South Africa - bringing Solar energy to a school in Limpopo.

Scatec Solar has undertaken three solar PV projects in South Africa.
The projects are situated in the semi-arid Karoo region covering South Africa’s central interior, which has among the world’s highest solar irradiance levels. The 75MW Kalkbult plant is based on solar panels mounted at a fixed angle to the sun, and the 75MW Dreunberg and 40MW Linde plants have been constructed with horizontal single axis solar tracker systems, enabling them to track the sun and optimize electricity generation. This allows them to generate about 20% more electricity.

Scatec Solar has undertaken three solar PV projects in South Africa.
The projects are situated in the semi-arid Karoo region covering South Africa’s central interior, which has among the world’s highest solar irradiance levels. The 75MW Kalkbult plant is based on solar panels mounted at a fixed angle to the sun, and the 75MW Dreunberg and 40MW Linde plants have been constructed with horizontal single axis solar tracker systems, enabling them to track the sun and optimize electricity generation. This allows them to generate about 20% more electricity.

A team of graduate students from Stellenbosch Universitys SustainabilityInstitute set out to turn a temporary shack into a model of sustainability using solar power, economical insulation and thermal controls. Join project pioneer Andreas Keller and AllAfrica on an exclusive tour of the iShack experiment in South Africas Enkanini settlement.

A team of graduate students from Stellenbosch Universitys SustainabilityInstitute set out to turn a temporary shack into a model of sustainability using solar power, economical insulation and thermal controls. Join project pioneer Andreas Keller and AllAfrica on an exclusive tour of the iShack experiment in South Africas Enkanini settlement.

By 2018, a large solar power plant in the Tunisian part of the Sahara desert may start sending power to energy-hungry Western Europe. The company running the plant says once it is fully operational it will generate almost twice as much electricity as an average nuclear plant and supply two million homes in Europe. VOA’s George Putic reports.
Originally published at - http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2500169.html

By 2018, a large solar power plant in the Tunisian part of the Sahara desert may start sending power to energy-hungry Western Europe. The company running the plant says once it is fully operational it will generate almost twice as much electricity as an average nuclear plant and supply two million homes in Europe. VOA’s George Putic reports.
Originally published at - http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2500169.html

Solar Cookers in Africa - SUNFIRE SOLUTIONS

Creating a sustainable future for the people of Africa, Johannesburg-based Sunfire Solutions is the leader distributer of Solar Cookers in Africa. Get in on th...

Creating a sustainable future for the people of Africa, Johannesburg-based Sunfire Solutions is the leader distributer of Solar Cookers in Africa. Get in on the solar revolution! Solar cookers reduce people's reliance on wood as an energy source. Africa's forests are disappearing at a rate of 3% per year, mostly for energy use, and Sunfire Solutions offers one of the only alternatives on the continent. http://www.sunfire.co.za
Produced By Jeffrey Barbee, see more at www.jeffbarbee.com or jefftube4view, his Youtube channel.

Creating a sustainable future for the people of Africa, Johannesburg-based Sunfire Solutions is the leader distributer of Solar Cookers in Africa. Get in on the solar revolution! Solar cookers reduce people's reliance on wood as an energy source. Africa's forests are disappearing at a rate of 3% per year, mostly for energy use, and Sunfire Solutions offers one of the only alternatives on the continent. http://www.sunfire.co.za
Produced By Jeffrey Barbee, see more at www.jeffbarbee.com or jefftube4view, his Youtube channel.

South Africa Solar Technology: Powered School Bags Lighting Homes

A school bag made from recycled plastic is helping students from impoverished communities in South Africa study at night. As ClementineLogan reports, these bag...

A school bag made from recycled plastic is helping students from impoverished communities in South Africa study at night. As ClementineLogan reports, these bags are integrated with photovoltaic panels and batteries. They charge up during the day, and light up homes at night.

A school bag made from recycled plastic is helping students from impoverished communities in South Africa study at night. As ClementineLogan reports, these bags are integrated with photovoltaic panels and batteries. They charge up during the day, and light up homes at night.

A Review of the Africa Solar Market

Panelists in this webinar provide an overview of the solar market in Africa. On the grid side, they focus on electricity production and the share of solar gener...

Panelists in this webinar provide an overview of the solar market in Africa. On the grid side, they focus on electricity production and the share of solar generation, grid PV installed capacities, main operational plants, grid PV forecasts and market challenges and opportunities. On the off-grid side, they analyze population and electrification issues, installed capacities by region, the Macro-economic Off-Grid (MOG) model, and Africa’s country rating and forecast to 2020 of cumulative installed capacities by country.

Panelists in this webinar provide an overview of the solar market in Africa. On the grid side, they focus on electricity production and the share of solar generation, grid PV installed capacities, main operational plants, grid PV forecasts and market challenges and opportunities. On the off-grid side, they analyze population and electrification issues, installed capacities by region, the Macro-economic Off-Grid (MOG) model, and Africa’s country rating and forecast to 2020 of cumulative installed capacities by country.

Solar Cooking in Africa - A Remarkable Technology Transfer

This video shows the remarkable technology transfer that is taking place in Africa as thousands of people are introduced to solar cooking technology, which allo...

This video shows the remarkable technology transfer that is taking place in Africa as thousands of people are introduced to solar cooking technology, which allows them to cook food and boil water using Africa's most abundant and free source of energy--the sun. I hope you will share this and other videos on my solarwindmama channel with your family and friends.

This video shows the remarkable technology transfer that is taking place in Africa as thousands of people are introduced to solar cooking technology, which allows them to cook food and boil water using Africa's most abundant and free source of energy--the sun. I hope you will share this and other videos on my solarwindmama channel with your family and friends.

The WestAfrican countryMali does not produce enough power to supply the entire population. The country is forced to import electricity from neighboring countries like Ivory Coast. Solar power could be only Mali's holy grail. That's why one young engineer is determined to ensure the project succeeds, especially in remote rural villages.

The WestAfrican countryMali does not produce enough power to supply the entire population. The country is forced to import electricity from neighboring countries like Ivory Coast. Solar power could be only Mali's holy grail. That's why one young engineer is determined to ensure the project succeeds, especially in remote rural villages.

Exponential Energy | Ramez Naam | SingularityU South Africa

Powering Africa: Mall of Africa's solar energy installation

Nedbank was given the opportunity to provide funding for the renewable energy installation at Mall of Africa. On this episode, we show how this sustainable energy solution gives value to stakeholders.

published: 20 Apr 2017

A Review of the Africa Solar Market

Panelists in this webinar provide an overview of the solar market in Africa. On the grid side, they focus on electricity production and the share of solar generation, grid PV installed capacities, main operational plants, grid PV forecasts and market challenges and opportunities. On the off-grid side, they analyze population and electrification issues, installed capacities by region, the Macro-economic Off-Grid (MOG) model, and Africa’s country rating and forecast to 2020 of cumulative installed capacities by country.

Solar water heating in south africa

This video was developed by the solar academy and brought to you by pqrs.co.za. The contents cover some technical parameters which should be taken into consideration when designing or installing solar water heating systems for domestic or light commercial use.

published: 17 Dec 2014

Webinar: Market trends in the African solar PV off grid sector

Solarplaza is proud to announce the latest in the USC: Africa webinar series: "MarketDevelopment Trends in the African solar PV Off-Grid Sector", where we provide an overview of the developments and trends in the off-grid and distributed energy sector in Africa.
http://www.unlockingsolarcapital.com/

This webinar, organized by Solarplaza with support from the AFDB and Greenwish Partners, took place Tuesday 11 July in preparation of the second annual edition of Unlocking SolarCapitalAfrica (Abidjan, 25-26 October).
NOTE: The audio cuts out between 01:55 and 02:06.
During the webinar, our expert panelists covered:
- Discussion on current finance solutions for Africa’s solar projects
- Exploring options to accelerate the current slow pace of on-grid development in Africa
- Innovative finance instruments and business models that align with market demand
The recordings also include an in-depth discussion on a variety of relevant solar dilemmas for the African continent followed by an open Q&A with the audience.
For more information regarding prices, attendees and the event program,...

Kuyere: Using Solar Technology to Reduce Poverty in Africa

Support solar in rural Africa at: https://kuyere.myshopify.com/
This PowerPoint presentation by kuyere.com describes how solar can be used to accelerate poverty-reduction in rural Africa by increasing the cost-effectiveness of poverty-reduction donations and investments over time.

A Review of the Africa Solar Market

Panelists in this webinar provide an overview of the solar market in Africa. On the grid side, they focus on electricity production and the share of solar gener...

Panelists in this webinar provide an overview of the solar market in Africa. On the grid side, they focus on electricity production and the share of solar generation, grid PV installed capacities, main operational plants, grid PV forecasts and market challenges and opportunities. On the off-grid side, they analyze population and electrification issues, installed capacities by region, the Macro-economic Off-Grid (MOG) model, and Africa’s country rating and forecast to 2020 of cumulative installed capacities by country.

Panelists in this webinar provide an overview of the solar market in Africa. On the grid side, they focus on electricity production and the share of solar generation, grid PV installed capacities, main operational plants, grid PV forecasts and market challenges and opportunities. On the off-grid side, they analyze population and electrification issues, installed capacities by region, the Macro-economic Off-Grid (MOG) model, and Africa’s country rating and forecast to 2020 of cumulative installed capacities by country.

Solar water heating in south africa

This video was developed by the solar academy and brought to you by pqrs.co.za. The contents cover some technical parameters which should be taken into consider...

This video was developed by the solar academy and brought to you by pqrs.co.za. The contents cover some technical parameters which should be taken into consideration when designing or installing solar water heating systems for domestic or light commercial use.

This video was developed by the solar academy and brought to you by pqrs.co.za. The contents cover some technical parameters which should be taken into consideration when designing or installing solar water heating systems for domestic or light commercial use.

Solarplaza is proud to announce the latest in the USC: Africa webinar series: "MarketDevelopment Trends in the African solar PV Off-Grid Sector", where we provide an overview of the developments and trends in the off-grid and distributed energy sector in Africa.
http://www.unlockingsolarcapital.com/

Solarplaza is proud to announce the latest in the USC: Africa webinar series: "MarketDevelopment Trends in the African solar PV Off-Grid Sector", where we provide an overview of the developments and trends in the off-grid and distributed energy sector in Africa.
http://www.unlockingsolarcapital.com/

This webinar, organized by Solarplaza with support from the AFDB and Greenwish Partners, took place Tuesday 11 July in preparation of the second annual edition ...

This webinar, organized by Solarplaza with support from the AFDB and Greenwish Partners, took place Tuesday 11 July in preparation of the second annual edition of Unlocking SolarCapitalAfrica (Abidjan, 25-26 October).
NOTE: The audio cuts out between 01:55 and 02:06.
During the webinar, our expert panelists covered:
- Discussion on current finance solutions for Africa’s solar projects
- Exploring options to accelerate the current slow pace of on-grid development in Africa
- Innovative finance instruments and business models that align with market demand
The recordings also include an in-depth discussion on a variety of relevant solar dilemmas for the African continent followed by an open Q&A with the audience.
For more information regarding prices, attendees and the event program, please visit: http://bit.ly/2tdkDLN
-----
About Solarplaza:
Solarplaza is a group of over 25 highly-motivated, proactive, young professionals. At our office in Rotterdam (NL), we argue in 13 different languages and travel to 16 foreign destinations every year. Through our events, newsletters and news portal, we help renewable energy professionals become more effective in their business development by providing unique networking opportunities and high-level content.
For an overview of our upcoming events, please visit:
http://www.solarplaza.com/events/
For our latest updates, follow Solarplaza on social media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/solarplaza

This webinar, organized by Solarplaza with support from the AFDB and Greenwish Partners, took place Tuesday 11 July in preparation of the second annual edition of Unlocking SolarCapitalAfrica (Abidjan, 25-26 October).
NOTE: The audio cuts out between 01:55 and 02:06.
During the webinar, our expert panelists covered:
- Discussion on current finance solutions for Africa’s solar projects
- Exploring options to accelerate the current slow pace of on-grid development in Africa
- Innovative finance instruments and business models that align with market demand
The recordings also include an in-depth discussion on a variety of relevant solar dilemmas for the African continent followed by an open Q&A with the audience.
For more information regarding prices, attendees and the event program, please visit: http://bit.ly/2tdkDLN
-----
About Solarplaza:
Solarplaza is a group of over 25 highly-motivated, proactive, young professionals. At our office in Rotterdam (NL), we argue in 13 different languages and travel to 16 foreign destinations every year. Through our events, newsletters and news portal, we help renewable energy professionals become more effective in their business development by providing unique networking opportunities and high-level content.
For an overview of our upcoming events, please visit:
http://www.solarplaza.com/events/
For our latest updates, follow Solarplaza on social media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/solarplaza

Kuyere: Using Solar Technology to Reduce Poverty in Africa

Support solar in rural Africa at: https://kuyere.myshopify.com/
This PowerPoint presentation by kuyere.com describes how solar can be used to accelerate poverty...

Support solar in rural Africa at: https://kuyere.myshopify.com/
This PowerPoint presentation by kuyere.com describes how solar can be used to accelerate poverty-reduction in rural Africa by increasing the cost-effectiveness of poverty-reduction donations and investments over time.

Support solar in rural Africa at: https://kuyere.myshopify.com/
This PowerPoint presentation by kuyere.com describes how solar can be used to accelerate poverty-reduction in rural Africa by increasing the cost-effectiveness of poverty-reduction donations and investments over time.

Why solar power is spreading so fast in Africa

Africans have been waiting for decades for the mains electricity which the rich world takes for granted. Sub-Saharan Africa’s 910m people consume less electricity each year than the 4.8m people of Alabama. Many more who are on the grid suffer brown-outs and dangerous surges in current. But a solar revolution is afoot.
In 2009 just 1% of sub-Saharan Africans used solar lighting. Now it is nearly 5% or 11m people. The InternationalEnergyAgency, a Paris-based government think-tank, reckons that 500m more people will have solar electricity by 2030,
Why is solar power spreading so fast in Africa? There are three main reasons.
First, solar panel technology has improved. Efficiency gains and mass production mean that modern photovoltaic panels have plunged in price per watt – to around 30 cents.
Second, low-energy bulbs have got better and cheaper. Modern solar lamps cost as little as $8—they charge by day and give light by night. They replace costly and dangerous alternatives - Africans waste $10 billion a year on kerosene. Even worse are candles, open fires—or darkness, which hurts productivity and encourages crime.
The third, crucial development is in storage, as lamps are needed at night and solar power is collected in the daytime. Old nickel cadmium batteries wore out after 500 recharges; lithium-based ones can manage 2,000 and store much more electricity
Additionally, solar power is increasingly well-financed in Africa. Aid donors are sponsoring more ambitious projects – specially designed fridges and televisions, for example. Bigger solar systems can run a school or clinic, a grain mill or irrigation pump, or even a whole village.
Some dismiss solar as a second-best solution. But conventional, centralised electrical grids have proved unreliable and inefficient in the past -- and solar is much better than nothing.

Africa's Clean ENERGY REVOLUTION: Future MEGAPROJECTS

Africa's population explosion presents humanity us with a once-in-our-species chance to make our fastest growing area leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past to instead embrace the renewable energy of the future.
Subscribe to TDC:
https://www.youtube.com/TheDailyConversation/
Video based on this article in Nature:
http://www.nature.com/news/can-wind-and-solar-fuel-africa-s-future-1.20907
Video by Bryce Plank and Robin WestMusic:
"Disturbances" by Matt Stewart-Evans:
https://soundcloud.com/mattstewartevans
https://www.facebook.com/Matthew.Stewart.Evans
"Ambitions" by Glimpse:
https://soundcloud.com/glimpse_official
Script:
The total population of Africa is projected to roughly quadruple to about four billion by 2100, driving the total global population past 11 billion. Producing all the energy that all these people will use could obliterate any efforts we’re now making to battle climate change. But Africa’s population explosion is also a tremendous opportunity, because all the power plants where all these people will get all their electricity from haven’t been built yet.
This means humanity is now being presented with a once-in-the-lifetime-of-our-species shot to make our planet's fastest growing region leapfrog the dirty fuels of the past, to embrace a future of clean, renewable energy.
This is how that optimistic vision of the future can become reality.
The residents of Zambia don’t need any reminders that climate change threatens their way of life. The region is suffering its worst drought in 35 years, that’s big trouble for a country that gets nearly all of its power from the force of water passing through three hydroelectric dams. No water means no electricity, and no electricity means blackouts that have frequently brought commerce and productivity to a standstill, gutting the Zambian economy and causing many to lose their jobs.
All across Africa, country are confronting the same problem: a constant lack-of-power. Sub Saharan Africa — all 910 million people — consume less electricity than the 4.8 million people of Alabama. Overall, more than half of all Africans have no access to electricity.
But this is changing, thanks to the emergence of renewable energy. The cost of building larger-scale solar panel and wind turbine farms continues to plummet, making governments and utilities more likely to choose them over traditional sources like hydro, coal, nuclear or natural gas. As we saw with the water shortage in Zambia — or the nuclear meltdown a few years ago after the earthquake in Japan — power stations of the past are less reliable, more expensive, far worse for our environment, and slower to build.
So this seems like a no-brainer, Africa needs to go green, baby! There’re just three problems.
One, until now planners have lacked the necessary data to identify where to develop wind and solar projects that are socially equitable, have low-environmental impact, and are most cost-effective. This problem was recently tackled by a groundbreaking study of 21 countries that combined satellite and ground measurements with geospatial data on roads, towns, and existing power lines. It provides the first blueprint for where wind and solar projects should be built to maximize their effectiveness.
The study also revealed Africa’s eye-opening, untapped potential for renewable energy generation. There are an estimated 550 million megawatts of potential solar and wind power spread across the continent, just waiting to be harvested. That’s 3,700 times as much electricity as Africa currently consumes.
That’s so much extra energy, that Africa should aim to be powered 100% by renewables by 2050. It’s even possible for Africa to become a clean energy exporting superpower by sending its abundant surpluses of electricity to Europe; the Middle East, India and the rest of Asia; and even the Americas.
Of course, this is dependent on overcoming the second major challenge: the continent’s completely inadequate power grid. Modernizing it to connect clean power stations with cities all over Africa will be a long-term megaproject costing tens of billions of dollars in the coming decades.
For fast-growing urban areas — like Lagos, Cairo, Kinshasa, Mogadishu, and Johannesburg — uninterrupted electricity is critical for the emerging industries that will fuel economic growth and provide jobs for billions.
On the other hand, most Africans currently live in small villages and towns, so their energy needs can be met by inexpensive solar and wind turbine systems that are located on-site, but are disconnected from the main grid.
The challenge will be connecting cities — where more and more people are moving — with the mega-power stations that will often be built far away, in geographical sweet spots to maximize the amount of harvestable solar rays and wind gusts.

5:36

Akon Providing Solar Lighting in Africa for 600m People

Akon has Launched a Solar Academy That Will Supply Electricity to 600,000,000 People in Af...

Maasai Women Installing Solar Panels in Remote Regions of Kenya

The Maasai are a semi-nomadic pastoral ethnic group spread across Kenya and Tanzania. They live in some of the most arid lands in the region, where modern utilities like Electricity are unheard off. Life almost comes to a a standstill once the sun goes down as there is no power. But a new project spear headed by Green EnergyAfrica has brought solar energy to 2,000 homes. CCTV's Susan Mwongeli reports.

2:29

Solar energy for Africa by 2030

The British Government has launched a new campaign to help achieve universal energy access...

Solar energy for Africa by 2030

The British Government has launched a new campaign to help achieve universal energy access across Africa by 2030. Part of the initiative involves removing some of the barriers to installing small, self-contained solar energy kits into homes and businesses, which are operated on a pay-as-you-go system.Our UK Correspondent Natalie Powell reports.

23:02

Powering Africa: Mall of Africa's solar energy installation

Nedbank was given the opportunity to provide funding for the renewable energy installation...

Start up in Nigeria deploys solar energy to rural communities

Power cuts are exceedingly common in Nigeria. The situation is even worse in rural communities which aren't even connected to the grid. To date, successive governments have failed to resolve the problem, despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. Amidst that chaos, lies opportunity for a small start up in the country which is lighting up forgotten rural communities. DejiBadmus has that story.

3:06

Israel and Innovation: Africa brings solar energy to Limpopo

Israel is a world leader in Solar energy and shares that technology. Innovation:Africa has...

Israel and Innovation: Africa brings solar energy to Limpopo

Israel is a world leader in Solar energy and shares that technology. Innovation:Africa has provided light, clean water, food and proper medical care to over 450,000 people across Africa.
This is the story of their first project in South Africa - bringing Solar energy to a school in Limpopo.

4:10

Scatec Solar Projects in South Africa

Scatec Solar has undertaken three solar PV projects in South Africa.
The projects are s...

Scatec Solar Projects in South Africa

Scatec Solar has undertaken three solar PV projects in South Africa.
The projects are situated in the semi-arid Karoo region covering South Africa’s central interior, which has among the world’s highest solar irradiance levels. The 75MW Kalkbult plant is based on solar panels mounted at a fixed angle to the sun, and the 75MW Dreunberg and 40MW Linde plants have been constructed with horizontal single axis solar tracker systems, enabling them to track the sun and optimize electricity generation. This allows them to generate about 20% more electricity.

2:47

South Africa's Solar-Powered Shacks

A team of graduate students from Stellenbosch Universitys Sustainability Institute set out...

South Africa's Solar-Powered Shacks

A team of graduate students from Stellenbosch Universitys SustainabilityInstitute set out to turn a temporary shack into a model of sustainability using solar power, economical insulation and thermal controls. Join project pioneer Andreas Keller and AllAfrica on an exclusive tour of the iShack experiment in South Africas Enkanini settlement.

2:37

Solar Power Plant in Africa to Supply Europe

By 2018, a large solar power plant in the Tunisian part of the Sahara desert may start sen...

Solar Power Plant in Africa to Supply Europe

By 2018, a large solar power plant in the Tunisian part of the Sahara desert may start sending power to energy-hungry Western Europe. The company running the plant says once it is fully operational it will generate almost twice as much electricity as an average nuclear plant and supply two million homes in Europe. VOA’s George Putic reports.
Originally published at - http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2500169.html

Solar Cookers in Africa - SUNFIRE SOLUTIONS

Creating a sustainable future for the people of Africa, Johannesburg-based Sunfire Solutions is the leader distributer of Solar Cookers in Africa. Get in on the solar revolution! Solar cookers reduce people's reliance on wood as an energy source. Africa's forests are disappearing at a rate of 3% per year, mostly for energy use, and Sunfire Solutions offers one of the only alternatives on the continent. http://www.sunfire.co.za
Produced By Jeffrey Barbee, see more at www.jeffbarbee.com or jefftube4view, his Youtube channel.

South Africa Solar Technology: Powered School Bags Lighting Homes

A school bag made from recycled plastic is helping students from impoverished communities in South Africa study at night. As ClementineLogan reports, these bags are integrated with photovoltaic panels and batteries. They charge up during the day, and light up homes at night.

A Review of the Africa Solar Market

Panelists in this webinar provide an overview of the solar market in Africa. On the grid side, they focus on electricity production and the share of solar generation, grid PV installed capacities, main operational plants, grid PV forecasts and market challenges and opportunities. On the off-grid side, they analyze population and electrification issues, installed capacities by region, the Macro-economic Off-Grid (MOG) model, and Africa’s country rating and forecast to 2020 of cumulative installed capacities by country.

34:28

Akon On Solar Lighting For Africa + Strip Club Tips & Tricks!

Akon speaks about his charity "Akon Lighting Africa" and gives great tips for strip club e...

Solar water heating in south africa

This video was developed by the solar academy and brought to you by pqrs.co.za. The contents cover some technical parameters which should be taken into consideration when designing or installing solar water heating systems for domestic or light commercial use.

1:10:39

Webinar: Market trends in the African solar PV off grid sector

Solarplaza is proud to announce the latest in the USC: Africa webinar series: "Market Deve...

Webinar: Market trends in the African solar PV off grid sector

Solarplaza is proud to announce the latest in the USC: Africa webinar series: "MarketDevelopment Trends in the African solar PV Off-Grid Sector", where we provide an overview of the developments and trends in the off-grid and distributed energy sector in Africa.
http://www.unlockingsolarcapital.com/

This webinar, organized by Solarplaza with support from the AFDB and Greenwish Partners, took place Tuesday 11 July in preparation of the second annual edition of Unlocking SolarCapitalAfrica (Abidjan, 25-26 October).
NOTE: The audio cuts out between 01:55 and 02:06.
During the webinar, our expert panelists covered:
- Discussion on current finance solutions for Africa’s solar projects
- Exploring options to accelerate the current slow pace of on-grid development in Africa
- Innovative finance instruments and business models that align with market demand
The recordings also include an in-depth discussion on a variety of relevant solar dilemmas for the African continent followed by an open Q&A with the audience.
For more information regarding prices, attendees and the event program, please visit: http://bit.ly/2tdkDLN
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About Solarplaza:
Solarplaza is a group of over 25 highly-motivated, proactive, young professionals. At our office in Rotterdam (NL), we argue in 13 different languages and travel to 16 foreign destinations every year. Through our events, newsletters and news portal, we help renewable energy professionals become more effective in their business development by providing unique networking opportunities and high-level content.
For an overview of our upcoming events, please visit:
http://www.solarplaza.com/events/
For our latest updates, follow Solarplaza on social media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/solarplaza

Kuyere: Using Solar Technology to Reduce Poverty in Africa

Support solar in rural Africa at: https://kuyere.myshopify.com/
This PowerPoint presentation by kuyere.com describes how solar can be used to accelerate poverty-reduction in rural Africa by increasing the cost-effectiveness of poverty-reduction donations and investments over time.

Kuyere: Using Solar Technology to Reduce Poverty i...

Gliimo CEO Tommy Davies chats residential solar po...

It turns out that a theory explaining how we might detect parallel universes and prediction for the end of the world was proposed and completed by physicist Stephen Hawking shortly before he died ... &nbsp;. According to reports, the work predicts that the universe would eventually end when stars run out of energy ... ....

Article by WN.Com Correspondent Dallas DarlingIt wasn’t very long ago Republicans were accusing Democrats of either paying a few dollars to the homeless for votes or giving them a pack of cigarettes. But with Donald Trump, it’s obvious he paid $130,000 to an adult-film star in exchange for her silence last October and just before the general election ... Was the payment from his own account – or from a lawyer – or from campaign donations....

Using e-cigarettes may lead to an accumulation of fat in the liver, a study of mice exposed to the devices suggests. “The popularity of electronic cigarettes has been rapidly increasing in part because of advertisements that they are safer than conventional cigarettes ... Friedman of Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles, California ... Circadian rhythm dysfunction is known to accelerate liver disease....

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JOHANNESBURG - Most people underestimate the size of Africa...Siemens’ biggest work in Africa is power ... In sub-Saharan Africa, in some places only two in five people have access to a reliable source of electricity ... Development in Africa isn’t about gross domestic product, it’s about humanly connected services ... There are solutions to Africa’s problems ... Unlocking Africa’s spirit ... Despite that, Africa is a hotbed of good ideas....

Could accountancy and solar energy possibly have anything in common? The question might delight Chen Kangping, 45, a former accountant and professional manager, and now CEO of Shanghai-based JinkoSolar, the world's leading solar panel producer by shipments whose photoelectric conversion rate and component shipments also rank first worldwide ... Many of China'ssolar panels are located in less-populated areas with surplus solar capacity....

AsiaWorldLA Times The biggest solar parks in the world are now being built in India... When completed, the Pavagada solar park in southern India is expected to generate 2,000 megawatts of electricity, making it the world's largest solar station. (KarnatakaSolarPowerDevelopment Corp.) ... and India have sort of swapped places, and Modi is now becoming a global statesman for renewable energy and solar."....

Richard Tia of KNUST about failure of KNUST to stridently pursue research in solar energy and production of solar panels is a healthy one ...Kwame Nkrumah had a vision and a plan for the development of solar energy and science in his homeland ... In Africa we have no lack of sunlight, and the development of solar energy should, be one of our main scientific preoccupations..." ... Kwame Nkrumah's Vision for SolarEnergy at KNUST....

Is Tesla’s solar roof a good deal and do other companies offer similar products—with the photovoltaic cells integrated into the roofing material? — Kenny S., Vero Beach, FL. It would be a stretch to call Tesla’s new Solar Roof a “good deal” given that it costs more than just about any other rooftop solar option, but there are some scenarios where it might make sense anyway....

The solar energy industry is on a massive growth swing, increasing installations from 7.7 GW to over 100 GW annually over the past decade ... In 2018, we're seeing many solar companies go back to their core competencies of manufacturing or sales, abandoning vertically integrated models that became burdensome the last few years ... SPWR), and Vivint Solar Inc (NYSE ... The solar inverter play ... A solar comeback play ... The residential solar play....

Last year looked set to be a particularly challenging one for the growth of solar power. Yet despite Donald Trump's promises to restore the fortunes of coal in solar's second-biggest market, 29.3 percent more solar cells were installed in 2017 than 2016, which had smashed previous records. Despite this, the world didn't quite manage to reach the milestone of installing 100 Gigawatts of solar capacity in the year, finishing at 98.9 GW....

GUELPH, Ontario, March 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CanadianSolarInc. ("Canadian Solar" or the "Company") CSIQ, -1.59% one of the world's largest solar power companies, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2017 ... During the quarter, the Company completed the sale of 13 solar power plants totaling 72.7 MWp in Japan to Canadian Solar Infrastructure Fund, Inc....

The global metamaterials market is driven by surge in wireless mobile communication, to improve the efficiency of solar photovoltaic cells and increasing investments by venture capital firms in the market. Metamaterials absorb a wide range of light with exceptionally high efficiency, which is expected to generate optical sensors and solar cells ... • Middle East & Africa. • SouthAfrica....

The project to make Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC) stations self-sufficient in energy by installing rooftop solar plants is still in limbo following the failure of the state government to approve the same. Under a central government project, the Jaipur Metro had decided to set up rooftop solar panels at eight elevated stations along the 9.25km-long corridor between Mansarovar and Chandpole....

While millions suffer from daily brownouts, Paluan, Mindoro is now completely brownout-free, thus claimed SolarPhils. The firm said it has completed the largest solar-battery micro-grid in Southeast Asia. With two MW of solar panels, two MWh of batteries and two MW of diesel backup, it is designed to supply reliable power 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 50 percent less than the full cost of the local electric coop....

FREMONT, Calif., March 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NEXTracker™, a Flex company, announced today that it has successfully delivered 754 megawatts (MW) of solar trackers to the Villanuevasolar project—the largest solar facility in the Americas, located in Torreón, Mexico... "We're proud to be NEXTracker's installation partner for this landmark solar ......